    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book III)]
    [October 1, 2004]
    [Pages i-xiii]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Public Papers of the President, 2004, Book III

    [[Page i]]

     P U B L I C     P A P E R S    O F    T H E    P R E S I D E N T S

                                  O F   T H E

                          U N I T E D    S T A T E S

    [[Page iv]]

                                Published by the

                         Office of the Federal Register

                  National Archives and Records Administration

     For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
                                     Office

       Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov  Phone: (202) 512-1800
                           Fax: (202) 512-2250

                  Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20401

    [[Page v]]

                                    Foreword

        This volume collects my speeches and papers from the second half of
    2004.

        During these 6 months from July to December, I outlined my vision
    for the future of our Nation, and I advocated Government policies that
    put trust and power into the hands of the people. In September, at my
    nominating convention, I presented a clear plan to build a safer world,
    and a more hopeful America. I spoke of our Nation's need to build an
    ownership society where every citizen has a stake in America and all
    have an opportunity to succeed. I described the need to simplify the tax
    code; improve education and worker training; build opportunity zones in
    areas without hope; make health care more affordable; and reform Social
    Security to provide voluntary personal-retirement accounts for all
    Americans.

        During this period, the American economy continued to expand and
    grow. Thanks to the ingenuity and entrepreneurship of the American
    people and the tax cuts of 2001, 2002, and 2003, our Nation added new
    jobs, built new businesses, and led the world in innovation and
    achievement. In the second half of 2004, the American economy gained
    strength--creating almost 1 million new jobs. To sustain this impressive
    economic growth, in October I signed a tax relief bill that helped
    millions of families by extending the child tax credit and marriage-
    penalty relief, and helped prevent middle-class families across America
    from being hit with the Alternative Minimum Tax. In addition, in
    December, my Administration hosted an important conference at the White
    House on America's economic future. We heard from business owners,
    workers, economists, and many other Americans who saw hopeful signs of
    growth throughout our country. We also discussed some of the fundamental
    challenges facing our economy--from frivolous lawsuits and burdensome
    regulations to the need for vital reforms in education, health care,
    entitlements, and the tax code.

        To address these and many other issues in my second term, I built
    another outstanding Cabinet. In November, I named Alberto Gonzales to
    serve as Attorney General; Condoleezza Rice to serve as Secretary of
    State; Margaret Spellings to serve as Secretary of Education; and Carlos
    Guttierez to serve as Secretary of Commerce. In December, I named Mike
    Leavitt as Secretary of Health and Human Services; Samuel Bodman as
    Secretary of Energy; Jim Nicholson as Secretary of Veterans Affairs; and
    Mike Johanns as Secretary of Agriculture.

        The second half of 2004 was also a time when we showed the
    compassionate heart and giving spirit that have made America a great
    Nation. In July, America commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Civil
    Rights Act--a day when justice and equality triumphed over
    discrimination and indignity. Later that same month, I announced my
    initiatives to combat human trafficking. By working to provide
    prosecutors with new law enforcement tools and give outreach programs
    more help to sup

    [[Page vi]]

    port victims of trafficking, we took a stand for the value and dignity
    of every human life. In December, our Nation answered the call from our
    brothers and sisters in need half a world a way. America provided more
    than $850 million in humanitarian relief and reconstruction aid to help
    the people of South Asia whose lives and homes were devastated by the
    massive Bay of Bengal earthquake and tsunami.

        As we worked to fulfill America's highest ideals of compassion and
    justice, we also continued to strengthen our Nation's ability to defend
    those ideals at home and abroad. In July, I signed the Project Bioshield
    Act. The Act was designed to help purchase, develop, and deploy cutting-
    edge defenses against catastrophic attack. Later that same month, I
    addressed the 9-11 Commission's recommendations. I discussed how my
    Administration's actions were consistent with the Commission's
    recommendations in detecting and disrupting terrorist cells; building a
    democratic Afghanistan; and improving our intelligence operations. In
    December, I signed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention
    Act--the most significant reform of our Nation's intelligence
    capabilities since President Harry S. Truman signed the National
    Security Act of 1947. The intelligence reforms of 2004 created the
    position of Director of National Intelligence; made it easier for law
    enforcement to share information about terrorists; and were designed to
    make all our intelligence efforts better coordinated, more efficient,
    and more effective.

        Throughout the second half of 2004, thanks to our men and women in
    uniform and our international allies, we advanced the cause of freedom
    around the world, and the people of Afghanistan and Iraq continued to
    advance down the path of democracy and self-determination. On October 9,
    the people of Afghanistan held their first presidential election under
    their new constitution with more than 8 million Afghans going to the
    polls. On December 7, Hamid Karzai was inaugurated as Afghanistan's
    democratically elected president. In August, after the Coalition
    transfer of power, Iraqis selected a national assembly to act as a
    parliament until the elections of January 2005. In the months that
    followed, election rules were published, voters were registered, and
    candidates came forward to be elected to a transition government that
    would represent all the Iraqi people.

        In the midst of all these historic steps on the road to freedom and
    peace, the world was reminded of the ruthless nature of our terrorist
    enemies. In Iraq, terrorists and insurgents continued to unleash savage
    attacks on those working to build a free and democratic Iraq. In late
    October of 2004, Al-Qaida released a tape from Osama Bin Laden that made
    further threats against America. I was very clear in my response:
    ``Americans will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our
    country.'' On October 31st, I told my fellow Americans: ``Since that
    terrible morning of September the 11th, 2001, we fought the terrorists
    across the Earth--not for pride, not for power, but because the lives of
    our citizens are at stake. Our strategy is clear. We've strengthened
    protections for the homeland. We're reforming and strengthening our
    intelligence services. We're transforming our military . . . We are
    fighting the terrorists abroad so we do not have to face them here at
    home. We are determined, we are relentless, and we are succeeding.''

                              B

    [[Page vii]]

                                     Preface

        This book contains the papers and speeches of the 43d President of
    the United States that were issued by the Office of the Press Secretary
    during the period October 1-December 31, 2004. The material has been
    compiled and published by the Office of the Federal Register, National
    Archives and Records Administration.

        The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates
    shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In
    instances when the release date differs from the date of the document
    itself, that fact is shown in the textnote. Every effort has been made
    to ensure accuracy: Remarks are checked against a tape recording, and
    signed documents are checked against the original. Textnotes and cross
    references have been provided by the editors for purposes of
    identification or clarity. At the request of the Office of the Press
    Secretary, the Bush property known as Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford,
    Texas, is referred to simply as the Bush Ranch. Speeches were delivered
    in Washington, DC, unless indicated. The times noted are local times.
    All materials that are printed full-text in the book have been indexed
    in the subject and name indexes, and listed in the document categories
    list.

        The Public Papers of the Presidents series was begun in 1957 in
    response to a recommendation of the National Historical Publications
    Commission. An extensive compilation of messages and papers of the
    Presidents covering the period 1789 to 1897 was assembled by James D.
    Richardson and published under congressional authority between 1896 and
    1899. Since then, various private compilations have been issued, but
    there was no uniform publication comparable to the Congressional Record
    or the United States Supreme Court Reports. Many Presidential papers
    could be found only in the form of mimeographed White House releases or
    as reported in the press. The Commission therefore recommended the
    establishment of an official series in which Presidential writings,
    addresses, and remarks of a public nature could be made available.

        The Commission's recommendation was incorporated in regulations of
    the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, issued under
    section 6 of the Federal Register Act (44 U.S.C. 1506), which may be
    found in title 1, part 10, of the Code of Federal Regulations.

        A companion publication to the Public Papers series, the Weekly
    Compilation of Presidential Documents, was begun in 1965 to provide a
    broader range of Presidential materials on a more timely basis to meet
    the needs of the contemporary reader. Beginning with the administration
    of Jimmy Carter, the Public Papers series expanded its coverage to
    include additional material as printed in the Weekly Compilation. That
    coverage provides a listing of the President's daily schedule and
    meetings, when announced, and other items of general interest issued by
    the Office of

    [[Page viii]]

    the Press Secretary. Also included are lists of the President's
    nominations submitted to the Senate, materials released by the Office of
    the Press Secretary that are not printed full-text in the book, and
    proclamations, Executive orders, and other Presidential documents
    released by the Office of the Press Secretary and published in the
    Federal Register. This information appears in the appendixes at the end
    of the book.

        Volumes covering the administrations of Presidents Herbert Hoover,
    Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B.
    Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan,
    George Bush, and William J. Clinton are also included in the Public
    Papers series.

        The Public Papers of the Presidents publication program is under the
    direction of Frances D. McDonald, Managing Editor, Office of the Federal
    Register. The series is produced by the Presidential and Legislative
    Publications Unit, Gwendolyn J. Henderson, Chief. The Chief Editor of
    this book was Stacey A. Mulligan, assisted by William K. Banks, Loretta
    F. Cochran, Kathleen M. Fargey, Michael J. Forcina, Stephen J. Frattini,
    Alison M. Gavin, Diane Hiltabidle, Alfred Jones, Ashley Merusi, Matthew
    R. Regan, and Michael J. Sullivan.

        The frontispiece and photographs used in the portfolio were supplied
    by the White House Photo Office. The typography and design of the book
    were developed by the Government Printing Office under the direction of
    William H. Turri, Acting Public Printer.

    Raymond A. Mosley
    Director of the Federal Register

    Allen Weinstein
    Archivist of the United States

    [[Page ix]]

                                    Contents

                        Foreword . . . v

                        Preface . . . vii

                        Cabinet . . . xi

                        Public Papers of George W. Bush,
                        October 1-December 31, 2004 . . . 2307

                        Appendix A
                        Digest of Other White House Announcements . . . 3147

                        Appendix B
                        Nominations Submitted to the Senate . . . 3163

                        Appendix C
                        Checklist of White House Press Releases . . . 3167

                        Appendix D
                        Presidential Documents Published in the Federal
    Register . . . 3173

                        Subject Index . . . A-1

                        Name Index . . . B-1

                        Document Categories List . . . C-1

    [[Page xi]]

                                    Cabinet

            Secretary of State

                                              Colin L. Powell.........

            Secretary of the Treasury

                                              John Snow...............

            Secretary of Defense

                                              Donald H. Rumsfeld......

            Attorney General

                                              John Ashcroft...........

            Secretary of the Interior

                                              Gale A. Norton..........

            Secretary of Agriculture

                                              Ann M. Veneman..........

            Secretary of Commerce

                                              Donald L. Evans.........

            Secretary of Labor

                                              Elaine L. Chao..........

            Secretary of Health and Human

            Services

                                              Tommy G. Thompson.......

            Secretary of Housing and Urban

            Development

                                              Alphonso R. Jackson.....

            Secretary of Transportation

                                              Norman Y. Mineta........

            Secretary of Energy

                                              Spencer Abraham.........

            Secretary of Education

                                              Roderick R. Paige.......

            Secretary of Veterans Affairs

                                              Anthony J. Principi.....

            Secretary of Homeland Security

                                              Tom Ridge...............

            Chief of Staff

                                              Andrew H. Card, Jr......

    [[Page xii]]

            Administrator of the Environmental

            Protection Agency

                                              Michael O. Leavitt......

            United States Trade Representative

                                              Robert B. Zoellick......

            Director of the Office of
            Management

            and Budget

                                              Joshua B. Bolten........

            Director of National Drug Control

            Policy

                                              John P. Walters.........

    [[Page xiii]]

                        Administration of George W. Bush

                                      2004